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Caring for Wheels and Tyres – Brake Dust

If you’ve ever tried to clean your wheels you’ll know how difficult the task is – not to mention how hard it is to protect them from further contamination. Ironically, your wheels themselves are often the enemy, as the friction between their brake disks and brake pads creates brake dust – an insidious mix of materials such as carbon fibre, metal filing and glue that is rubbed off the brake pads and onto your alloys. Not only is it unpleasant to look at, but it’s highly corrosive and, thanks to the elements of glue, very hard to remove.

The solution to this problem is to find a way to either protect the alloys from any dust exposure, or to clean the wheels often enough that the metal filings in the dust never have a chance to oxidise and start corroding your rim’s protective coating – or worse, the rim itself.

To protect the alloys, you can use dust shields, which sit between the rim and the hub to protect the former from dust whilst still allowing air to flow through. Although these are a proven method of minimising dust exposure, be warned that they can compromise the aesthetics of your wheels, and are also generally unsuitable for high performance cars. An alternative to these is to buy specialist, low dust, brake pads. These can be made from a variety of substances, such as a kevlar or ceramic compounds, and some even improve brake performance as well as reducing dust.

The alternative to protective solutions is regular cleaning, which can be hard to keep up if you have a busy schedule – or just don’t feel like braving the cold outdoors! To be effective, you’ll need to wash your wheels at least once a week – ensuring you remove all brake dust – and re-apply protective coatings at least every three months. Although this sounds arduous it’s well worth the effort: just a few minutes’ washing every week will prevent corrosion kicking in and save you an expensive alloy bill further down the line.

If your car needs a little TLC, you can also phone Diamond Alloys to ask about our valet service – a great way to kick start a new cleaning regime!

 

Diamond Alloys Trade News – Introducer Scheme

introducer-scheme-main-pictureWant to make more money for your business?

Want to make money without the hassle?

Have customers who need their wheels repaired?

If the answer to all these questions is YES then the Diamond Alloys ‘Introducer’ Scheme is just what you need……..it’s as simple as 1,2,3!

1 – Request an Introducer Pack
Give us a call on 0845 370 8881 and we will send you out a pack.

introducer-poster

2 – Display the Leaflets and Poster
Simply display our poster and leaflets. Make sure you tell your customer to quote the referral code on the back of the leaflet.

3 – Wait for Your Introducer Fee to Arrive!
When your customer gives us the card, or quotes your Introducer code when making a booking, then you will receive a 10% referral fee for introducing your customer to us. This is logged on our system and at the end of each month we send you your money…….simple!

What are you waiting for?
Call us on 0845 370 8881 now!

What’s in the Pack?

  • Large or small display stand (whichever is best for you)
  • Pack of Introducer Leaflets
  • Display Poster

 

Increase Car Re-Sale Value With Refurbished Alloy Wheels

range-rover-diamond-cutGetting alloy wheels repaired or refurbished can be a great way to increase the re-value of a car.

Diamond Alloys works closely with many quality used cars dealerships to give their cars a finishing touch to ensure the vehicle is looking as good as possible on their forecourt enabling them to achieve a higher re-sale value.

Take a look at these Range Rover alloy wheels which were looking pretty dull and uninspiring before their Diamond Alloys makeover. All kerbing damage, scuffs and scrapes were dealt with first with a clean down in our aquablast machine before getting some loving care in our prep room. As standard, they were given a powdercoat to ensure they had a smooth base for our diamond cutter to work from.

The finished result produced a wheel which was stunning, bringing life back to their look in keeping with the prestigious marque they belong to. Our technicians applied a beautiful grey paint effect on the inside of the spokes and then applied a diamond cut face to really show off the stunning 14 spoke design.

Whether you are a customer wanting a new look for your own car, or a leasing company or dealership with a fleet of cars to care for, then call Diamond Alloys on 0845 370 8881 for more information on how our services can add value to your cars.

Alloy Wheel with a Chunk Missing Repaired by Diamond Alloys

DSC_0192When an alloy wheel sustains damage this extensive it is easy for anyone to think it is beyond repair, but not Diamond Alloys!

These Porsche wheels had a sever chunk of alloy missing after damage sustained to the outer rim. A face weld repaired the damage which was then powder coated with the rest of the set of wheels before being treated to a standard painted refurbishment. The result is amazing with the damage completely vanished.

diamond-alloys-refurbishment-wheels-main

Damage like this and hairline cracks can occur when driving over pot holes, so if you notice loss of air in your tyres it is time to have them inspected, especially as it could mean a failed MOT!

If your alloys need urgent repair, or if you just want a new look for your rims then give our helpful customer care advisors a call on 0845 370 8881 or get an on-line quote today!

Split Rim Alloy Wheels Get a Great Refurbishment at Diamond Alloys

DSC_0153Customer Tim Jones came to Diamond Alloys with his badly damaged split rim Audi TT alloy wheels. As you can see in the pictures they were badly kerbed around the edges making them look very unsightly.

Split rim alloys wheels are more complicated to repair, but Diamond Alloys has trained technicians who are highly skilled to repair and refurbish both cosmetic split rims in addition to two piece split rims as featured here.

diamond-alloys-audi-refurbishment

Tim requested a standard painted finish which our guys applied after cleaning, prepping the wheels before powder coating in silver for a smooth finish. The transformation is complete and looks stunning back on Tim’s Audi.

If your split rims alloy wheels are looking old and damaged, don’t despair. A repair and refurbishment is cheaper than buying new and can bring their look back to a stunning finish. Call our helpful team on 0845 370 8881 or get a quick quote on-line here.

Get a New Look For Your Alloys and Protect Them At The Same Time With Rim Bands

diamond-alloys-rim-bands-greenMany customers come to Diamond Alloys to get their alloy wheels repaired, eliminating ugly scuffs and scrapes which can easily occur when parking against high kerbs. However, we also have customers come in to our London based alloy wheel refurbishment centre just to get a new look for their alloys.

Take a look at these pictures and you will see a great example of how having your alloys painted with a new colour can bring your car to life. Customer Kevin Parfit wanted a standard painted refurbishment on his alloys with lime green Rim bands to match his unlimited green Ford Focus.

The gloss black alloys look stunning against the brilliant green of Kevin’s car and the addition of the rim bands makes stunning finishing touch to the overall look. They are practical too and protect the edges of your alloy wheels meaning that future kerbing damage is reduced. This prolongs the life of your alloys as it can help ensure the protective lacquer layer is not compromised. If the lacquer is damaged and water is allowed to seep underneath this can cause your alloys to corrode.

We can add a colourful selection of rim bands to your car, available in black, blue, lime, orange, pink, red, silver, white and yellow there is a colour to suit most tastes and cars. At only £50 for a pack of 4, they will help protect your car potentially saving you money off future repair bills. Fitting rim bands is free of charge at Diamond Alloys if you are booked in for a repair or refurbishment. Call 0845 370 8881 for more details.

 

Corroded Dodge Alloys Wheels get a Diamond Cut refurbishment

severe-alloy-wheel-corrosionAlloy wheel corrosion can cause severe damage to your rims leaving them looking beyond repair. However, you don’t have to outlay huge amounts of cash by buying new alloy wheels when a refurbishment will restore them to a brilliant finish with every spot of corrosion banished.

Take a look at these badly corroded Dodge alloy wheels brought into Diamond Alloys by customer Andrew Crabtree. Corrosion is caused when water, and especially salt water, gets under the lacquer and attacks the metal. This often happens after the protective lacquer layer is compromised from kerbing or similar damage.

As you can see the corrosion damage is extensive on these alloys which meant they had to spend time in the acid tank; a process which removes the corrosion. Our technicians are experts and have the skills to know how long each alloy needs to spend in the acid as this depends on the severity of the corrosion, which as you can see varies from wheel to wheel. We do not recommend you do this yourself, acid can not only be dangerous to your skin but if your rims are left too long in the acid they too can be damaged beyond repair.

diamond-cut-alloyAfter the corrosion has been removed completely the alloys are cleaned and prepped before being powder coated and painted. These alloys were also Diamond cut to bring out the real beauty of the metal before a protective layer of lacquer is applied.

Happy customer Andrew Crabtree commented “Extremely impressed with the finish on the wheels, they look perfect, and a vast improvement on what I delivered to you at the start of the week.  You have done a fantastic job, thanks. “ 

If your alloy wheels have corrosion damage, don’t despair, simply bring them down to Diamond Alloys and we will give them the full treatment and bring them back to life. The results are stunning when seen against their former appearance. Call us on 0845 370 8881 or get a quick on-line quote here.

Ghost Chrome Alloy Wheel Refurbishment

audi

Applying a custom painted finish to your alloy wheels can produce a truly stunning look which compliments the cars bodywork. Many clients are now asking us to apply a ‘ghost chrome’ paint effect, which you can see on the image here where it was applied to Audi rims.

A ghost chrome finish produces a realistic metallic paint effect which is lighter in shade, and a little more see through than shadow chrome.

audi-alloy-wheel

Our technicians are highly skilled at applying bespoke techniques like this and have the capabilities to create stunning custom looks to each client’s specific requirements. We are more than happy to discuss options with clients, either on the phone or in person at our West London alloy wheel refurbishment centre. Call us on 0845 370 8881 for more details.

Alloy Wheel Repair Feedback – The wheels!! Superb!! First class job!!

fiat-500

If you love your car, then you’ll want it looking good then beautifully restored alloy wheels will add the finishing touch to any cute car. Customer Lynda Perry bought her adorable pink Fiat 500 to Diamond Alloys to have the alloy wheels refurbished because they had quite bad kerbing damage, as you can see in the gallery below. However, this was a quick fix for our guys and Lynda was thrilled with the results. After repairing the kerb damage, our guys applied a Ferric Grey paint which compliments the pink car beautifully and then finish the alloy with a diamond cut face for a truly stunning effect. Take a look at the before and after shots and you will see what a great transformation our guys achieved and how great they look back on the car.

Lynda was not only impressed with the finish, but was also delighted with our service. Here’s what she had to say. “I am more than happy to provide a testimonial as I was genuinely impressed by your service from start to finish.”

“The whole experience was extremely positive from my initial interaction via your website, I received an immediate response.  During the process of obtaining quotations, I discovered that there are very few alloy wheel repair companies who are actually able to undertake diamond cut alloys and of course Diamond Alloys quickly confirmed that they were able to do the work and following submission of photos of all 4 wheels – all of which were in very poor condition all round – I received a quotation.  All communication was dealt with efficiently.”

Lynda went on to comment “I had had some concerns with the fact that I would have to leave a valuable asset in an area I was unfamiliar with but your site, on a business park, gave me comfort that my vehicle would be secure – not to mention the number of prestige vehicles parked outside your unit with all 4 wheels removed.  That gave me great comfort for two reasons: security and the fact that my daughter wasn’t the only person in the UK to damage all 4 wheels!!”

fiat-500-alloy “I liked the fact that my vehicle was carefully booked in, with a full appraisal of the bodywork when I dropped it off.  Your communication by email, telephone and in person was extremely welcoming yet efficient.  As a woman it can be intimidating to visit garages or anything to do with cars but this was not the case at all dealing with Diamond Alloys. I did obtain quotations which were marginally less but I was not presented with the same professional image provided by yourselves.”

Her final words…….”Oh – and the wheels!!  Superb!!  First class job!!  They look amazing. Thank you.” It is so gratifying when we get feedback from customers, especially when it is a good as this. A huge thanks to Lynda for taking the time to send us such a great testimonial, it has been passed on to the whole team. If you would like to try out our great service, then call us on 0845 370 8881 or get a quotation on-line here.